CHICAGO — Traevon Jackson’s game is more grist than flash, which makes the Columbus native an ideal cog in the grinding, machine-press style of Wisconsin basketball.

The 22nd-ranked Badgers have come to rely on Jackson’s steadiness, as the sophomore from Westerville South has developed in his first season as the starting point guard.

“He has grown so much as a player,” Wisconsin center Jared Berggren said. “Last year he didn’t play a lot, and this year he was thrown into the fire. He has really embraced the role. We’re definitely at our best when he’s playing well.”

So it’s no coincidence that Jackson’s solid play has helped the Badgers reach the Big Ten tournament final, which they did by upsetting No. 3 Indiana 68-56 yesterday at the United Center.

Wisconsin (23-10) has won 12 consecutive games against the Hoosiers, which is tied for the longest streak against Indiana. The Badgers won 64-59 at Bloomington in the teams’ only regular-season meeting.

Indiana (27-6) was the tournament’s top seed after winning its first outright Big Ten regular-season title in 20 years, and the Hoosiers still hope to receive a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

They lost to their nemesis again yesterday because No. 4 seed Wisconsin finished with a 16-7 run after leading 50-49 with 9:45 remaining. Before that, there were six ties and five lead changes.

“We just wanted to match them up, squeeze the floor on them and make them take tough shots,” Jackson said. “That’s what we did.”

Jackson’s statistics weren’t eye-popping: seven points, three rebounds, four assists, three turnovers and a steal in 31 minutes. Four of his teammates scored in double figures, led by forward Ryan Evans with 16.

Indiana’s runs, however, usually came during the nine minutes that Jackson was on the bench. He directed a patient Wisconsin offense that shot 51 percent from the field and spearheaded a defense that limited the Hoosiers to 38 percent shooting.

“I think the game is slowing down for him and he’s doing great things,” Wisconsin guard Ben Brust said.

Jackson, the son of Ohio State legend Jim Jackson, was expected to back up Brust this season until point guard Josh Gasser suffered a season-ending knee injury in October. After initially trying George Marshall at the point, coach Bo Ryan moved Jackson into the spot in late November.

“If you look at a lot of the games we lost this year, a lot of that falls back on me,” Jackson said. “But that’s OK. As a point guard, you want the game to go through you. You’re in control.”

He has been during this tournament. Jackson scored a career-high 16 points on Friday against Michigan. His defense forced Wolverines point guard Trey Burke, a Columbus native and friend, into 8-of-22 shooting.

Now Jackson, who was offered a scholarship by no other Big Ten school, has a chance to lead his team to the tournament title.

“I’m really happy for my teammates,” Jackson said. “They stuck it out with me. At times, they could have said they don’t want me out there. I give a lot of credit to my team. They always put me in a position to be successful. They make me look good.”